Pupil numbers 'to hit highest level'
The number of pupils in England's schools is expected to reach its highest level in almost half a century, according to new official figures.
By 2017, the West Midlands is expected to see a nine per cent rise of primary school-age pupils.
Government statistics estimate that in the next 10 years, the number of school children will top eight million.
And by 2023, it is projected that there will be around 4.661 million pupils in state primary schools, nine per cent higher than in 2014.
At the same time, the decline in the number of secondary school pupils seen over the last decade is expected to end, with numbers rising from 2016.
The figures indicate that secondary pupil numbers will rise from 2.741 million this year to an estimated 3.218 million in 2023.
The hike in numbers has been fuelled by a birth rate that has been broadly rising since 2002, government statisticians suggested.
Projections published by the Department for Education (DfE) show that in 2023, it is estimated that overall, there will be 8.022 million youngsters in England's state schools, up almost a million from 7.143 million this year.
It is thought that the last time pupil numbers reached these levels was in the mid-1970s.
The new data comes amid a continuing concern about a squeeze on school places, particularly for primary-age children.
A DfE spokeswoman said: "Ensuring enough school places for the growing population is one of our top priorities. That is why we have more than doubled to £5 billion the funding available to councils to create new school places, and are allowing good schools to expand without the restrictions and bureaucracy they faced in the past. This has already led to the creation of 260,000 new school places across the country."
